Proposals co-ordinator

United Infrastructure Ltd; Havant; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medicash plan

Life insurance

Company pension

25 days holiday

Job summary

AFECO is seeking a skilled Bid Manager to lead high-stakes proposals in water, wastewater, and infrastructure. You will coordinate multidisciplinary teams, translate technical inputs into compelling stories, and ensure compliant, competitive submissions.

The role requires 5+ years in bid management, a degree, and experience with £10m+ bids or strategic frameworks, within the UK water sector. AFECO offers a supportive environment and ongoing professional development.

Qualifications

• 5+ years’ experience in bid management, proposals, or work-winning roles within water, utilities, or infrastructure.
• Experience of leading bids valued at £10m+ (or strategically significant frameworks).
• Degree or equivalent experience in engineering, business, commercial management, or related discipline.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end management of significant and strategic bids from opportunity identification through submission and post-bid review
• Develop and own bid plans, programmes, and governance for complex water sector tenders
• Ensure all submissions are fully compliant with client requirements, procurement regulations, and internal approvals
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary bid teams including engineering, commercial, planning, delivery, sustainability, digital, and supply chain
• Develop win strategies, value propositions, and key messages aligned to client scoring criteria

Skills

Bid management

Proposal writing

Water industry knowledge

Stakeholder leadership

APMP

Education

Degree or equiv

Job description

As part of the United Infrastructure Group, we are a dynamic and innovative specialist engineering services, solutions and products provider focused on servicing our clients’ immediate and future needs. We do this through the development of industry-changing cleantech products as well as through engineering delivery excellence.

We specialise in the design and delivery of process, mechanical, electrical and ICA engineering-based projects, products and solutions. Regardless of the project, they all pursue the same goal: to improve the efficiency and sustainability of our water, wastewater and waste treatment.

We have a team of highly skilled and experienced professionals with extensive consulting and contracting experience, including engineers, scientists and commercial managers. Our knowledge and expertise spans more than 30 years, across industries including: water, wastewater, marine, energy and power sectors. At AFECO, we cover all stages of the innovation and project delivery cycle from concept through to operations.

Our aim is simple – to provide the most effective solutions and products on the market and thus, exceed clients expectations through market-leading technology. From technical through to commercial and management expertise, we have the in-house expertise to execute a range of projects from the most basic to highly complex.

Company Description

About us

AFECO is an engineering services provider, delivering high quality process and MEICA design and installation projects predominantly across the South of England and Midlands for the water industry. We have excellent inhouse engineering teams capable of delivering all stages of the project cycle, from concept through to commissioning, with a strong focus on process led innovative and robust yet appropriate solutions.

We have a portfolio of varied projects covering both wastewater and clean water projects for planned and reactive projects.

Due to the expansion of our team, we are currently recruiting for an Administrative Assistant to work within our multi-disciplinary teams. This is a great opportunity for enthusiastic individuals who fit in with our company values and are keen to develop in a forward-thinking organisation

Job Description

Role Purpose

The Proposal Manager is responsible for leading, managing, and delivering high-quality, compliant, and competitive bids for major opportunities within the water sector. This role focuses on complex, high-value, and strategically important tenders across water and wastewater infrastructure, treatment, networks, and asset management frameworks.

The role requires strong leadership of multidisciplinary bid teams, deep understanding of water sector procurement, and the ability to translate technical, commercial, and operational inputs into compelling, client-focused proposals.

Key Responsibilities

Bid & Proposal Management

• Lead end-to-end management of significant and strategic bids from opportunity identification through submission and post-bid review
• Develop and own bid plans, programmes, and governance for complex water sector tenders
• Ensure all submissions are fully compliant with client requirements, procurement regulations, and internal approvals
• Manage multiple concurrent bids with varying values, timescales, and complexity

Water Sector Expertise

• Apply detailed knowledge of the water industry, including AMP cycles, regulatory drivers (e.g. Ofwat, EA, DWI), and client priorities
• Understand delivery models such as frameworks, alliances, joint ventures, D&B, DBO, and capital maintenance contracts
• Interpret water company objectives around resilience, sustainability, customer outcomes, carbon reduction, and innovation

Stakeholder & Team Leadership

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary bid teams including engineering, commercial, planning, delivery, sustainability, digital, and supply chain
• Act as the central point of coordination between internal teams, partners, and joint venture organisations
• Influence senior stakeholders to secure resources, approvals, and timely inputs

Proposal Development & Quality

• Develop win strategies, value propositions, and key messages aligned to client scoring criteria
• Oversee and, where required, author high-quality written responses that are clear, persuasive, and evidence-based
• Ensure proposals demonstrate strong understanding of risk, opportunity, and whole-life value

Commercial & Risk Awareness

• Work closely with commercial and estimating teams to ensure proposals align with pricing, risk, and delivery assumptions
• Contribute to bid/no-bid decisions, risk assessments, and commercial strategies
• Ensure proposals clearly articulate commercial robustness, value for money, and risk mitigation

Continuous Improvement

• Capture lessons learned from bid outcomes and feedback from clients
• Develop and maintain bid best practice, templates, and standard responses

Key Skills & Competencies

• Proven experience managing significant or complex bids within the water or wider utilities/infrastructure sector
• Strong understanding of water sector procurement processes and client expectations
• Excellent written communication and proposal development skills
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders and deadlines under pressure
• Strong planning, organisation, and attention to detail
• Confident facilitator with the ability to challenge and influence senior contributor
• Experience working with UK water companies and AMP frameworks
• Knowledge of NEC, alliancing, or framework-based contracting models
• Familiarity with sustainability, carbon, digital delivery, and innovation themes in water
• APMP (or equivalent) qualification

Qualifications

Qualifications & Experience

• Degree or equivalent experience in engineering, business, commercial management, or a related discipline
• 5+ years’ experience in bid management, proposals, or work-winning roles within water, utilities, or infrastructure
• Experience of leading bids valued at £10m+ (or strategically significant frameworks)

Additional information

Salary and benefits

• Medicash plan
• Life insurance
• Benefits portal
• Company pension
• 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays)

Join us at AFECO and be part of our mission to deliver innovative and sustainable solutions to the complex infrastructure needs of the UK.